The Florida Statutes and Family Code give clear information about how child custody cases are handled in the state. Title 6, Chapter 61: Dissolution of Marriage, Support, and Custody contains the specific information about the laws and guidelines that determine child custody arrangements. In this chapter, it states that the parenting plan must “describe in adequate detail…the time-sharing schedule arrangements that specify the time that the minor child will spend with each parent”. This means that Florida law places the utmost importance on a good child custody and visitation schedule. As parents make this time-sharing schedule, they must familiarize themselves with parts of the custody laws. Here are some laws that can help parents create their schedule.

1. The parents must both have adequate time with the child. Chapter 61 states that the minor children should have “frequent and continuing contact with both parents after the parents separate”. So, when a mother and father create a custody schedule, they should be sure to give enough time to both parents to be with the child. A Florida court will not accept a schedule where one parent is given all of the time. Parents should look at the needs of the children and figure out how to best allow both parents to be involved. The law further encourages parents to share all aspects of childrearing. To do this, each parent should have long enough visits to bond with the children and to perform different responsibilities and be involved in different aspects of the child’s life.

Family law is not something you should tackle alone. The most important thing in your child custody case is to find a good attorney. Most people will start looking with a quick internet search; Googling something like “Florida child custody lawyer” or “Florida family law attorney”.

There is nothing wrong with starting out your search this way. The problem is many people end it there as well.

Before a permanent custody and visitation order is issued it is common to have a temporary custody and visitation order issued. Parents may agree to visitation schedules and other restrictions that they would not agree to if the order were going to be permanent. But what does “temporary” really mean. Here’s what you need to know.

The fact of the matter is that when parents first get started in a child custody and visitation case they can get lulled into a false sense of security. They want to make things a simple. Pleasant and easy as possible. They want to play nice and words like “temporary” are taken at face value. Parents are willing to agree to actions that they wouldn’t agree to if the order were permanent, (like moving out, and taking the child only on the weekend) until a full hearing can be held.

The best method for anyone seeking a court ruling on child custody is to fill out all of the necessary forms as accurately and completely as possible and work out as many of the details as possible before attending a court hearing.

In all custody determinations, throughout Florida statutes is stated that the court will determine child custody based solely on the best interests of the child. Therefore anyone seeking to gain custody of a child needs to analyze what is in the best interests for the child in order for the case to be successful.

The Florida legislature recently enacted laws that abolished the concept of “primary” and “secondary” child custody as well as “visitation.” The court system was overwhelmed with parents who were fighting not only about at whose home the minor would spend most of his time, but also over who should have the title

of primary custodian. Many believed that, if they were deemed the “secondary” custodian, then they were also a second-class parent. Further, many parties resented that they had to “visit” the child rather than live with or spend time with their kin. In an effort to help parents avoid fighting over semantics, the Florida legislature adopted the concept of “time-sharing” to replace the old regime of awarding custody to one parent or the other.

The Florida Legislature also modified and expanded the factors that courts must consider when making a determination on the issue of time-sharing. The overriding concern remains the best interests of the child. There are now twenty factors for consideration, some of which are highlighted below:

What is the definition of child custody in this state? Who is entitled to that custody? Which state has jurisdiction and can children be moved out of that state? What can the party do if a spouse or ex. is in danger of removing the child from the court ordered environment.

Custody, in Florida means being responsible for the needs of a person under the age of 18; this can be further defined by the physical care and supervision of the child. The custodian has a court order for the right of physical custody along with the duty to rear, keep safe and discipline their charge.

Duval County public records include the information of person(s) you want to background search online, by phone, or in person. Attached in the public archives are their birth, death, marriage, and divorce information, their criminal, jail, court, and juvenile information, their property, building, and business information, and even their tax records are found in the public database of Duval. Any information you need for your business, school, church, real estate, or organizations you want to be part of, you can easily access at the Duval public archives.

Duval County, which is located in the state of Florida, has an area of 918 square miles and is the proud home of 849,159 residents. This is based on the 2007 U.S. Census bureau population estimates. Duval is famous for being Florida’s 7th most populous county with 4.8 percent of Florida’s population. A person who lives in Duval must be a person who loves safety and protection, what with the volume of people who lives here. That is why you have to know how to access Duval public files if you are a resident of Duval. Find people records if you are in doubt or in danger or if you just want to make a background search on any person you and your family have been in contact with.

Divorce and annulment are both acceptable ways to end a marriage in the state of Florida. While these two may both be used to terminate a marriage, people have to understand that these terms are not exactly the same.

The domicile or residence of the child typically cannot be moved from the state without the prior approval of the court or judge who awarded custody. If the custodial parent moves the domicile of the minor child out of the state against the wishes of the non-custodial parent and without the permission of the court, then the court may sanction orders of contempt.

An order to permit a parent to move a child from the state is often required before a move can occur especially in contested relocation or move-away cases. The relocation or move-away order may be entered either by consent of both parties or by the court after a hearing.

Often court orders will include a change of domicile provision stating that the custodial parent shall not remove the minor child from the state without prior approval of the court. The reason for this provision is to protect the non-custodial parent’s rights to visitation and to ensure that a custodial parent’s move out of state is legitimate and the motive is not to frustrate or deny the non-custodial parent access to the minor child.

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